Hello, Fly Catchers!
Do you find poetry in baseball?
Baseball is a game I used to enjoy watching. I haven’t spent much time with it in recent years. In Japan, baseball is one of the “authorized” topics for haiku. Something that surely will surprise none of you, I collect volumes of haiku. This one is one of my favorites:
It’s a reminder that nothing is so trivial that we can’t find a way to take it seriously and that nothing is too serious to make trivial.
Back in 2012, I wrote a piece called, Matt and My Oakland A’s. I lightly edited and republished it to my oft-neglected blog in 2020. It’s the thing I’ve written that I think about the most. I reread it almost every spring and fall, when American baseball starts and ends.
This essay deals with death, alcoholism, friendship, and baseball. I don’t know that it’s poetic, but it is honest.
If you like, you can read it by clicking here.
Thanks for reading! Be the poetry you want to see in the world!
Cheers,
Jason
P.S. I’m going to be writing some longer essays again. I’m not sure if it’s better for you if I post them here in the newsletter, or if I should keep these emails short and sweet and publish the essays elsewhere and only post the links here. If you have any opinions on that front, I’d love to hear them!
I think there’s poetry in baseball without a doubt. There’s a certain rhythm to the game. Even in the smaller aspects, like watching a player munch on some sunflower seeds in the dugout or watching an outfielder play catch with a kid in the stands.
I’m a fan of yours whatever you decide to write. I love the shorter send-outs, but you can always replace one of your short posts with a longer essay.
Thanks for sharing, Jason!